Page 107 of Fix Them Up
‘Can’t.’
‘Red,’ Liam said softly. ‘We’re better than that. We’re honest with each other, aren’t we? Whatever you tell me, I’m not going anywhere. I keep telling you I’m here. I’m in this.’
I exhaled. ‘No one has ever done anything like this for me. It just feels like a lot. I don’t deserve it.’
Liam’s breath caught. ‘Kat. I want to punch whoever has made you feel like this.’
‘You can’t – he’s dead.’ I laughed meekly. ‘Daddy issues.’
Liam’s lips flattened. ‘I want you to listen to me. Really listen, okay? You deserve this and more. You are worthy. You’re a bright, shining light to everyone around you. Brian and Sandra adore you. Lydia too. Abi worships the ground you walk on. And I know you don’t see it. But I do. So let me do what I can to prove it to you.’ His hand clasped the back of my neck and pressed our foreheads together. ‘I told you yesterday. Don’t think about what is coming. Just be here with me.’
‘Okay.’
‘Okay.’
‘Let’s go.’ Liam smiled and pulled me into the first gallery.
Chapter Thirty-Three
We stepped out of the art gallery two hours later. The sun decided to stick around, warm on my face. The square in front of the art gallery was basking in the warm sunlight that peeked through the trees.
The tour with Olivia was incredible. We had the whole gallery to ourselves as we walked through each section, Olivia explaining the collection and some of her favourite pieces. The art gallery was beautiful – all parquet floors and glass skylights. They had a huge Lowry and Pre-Raphaelite collection. Liam’s face split into a grin as we walked into a gallery full of women with flaming red hair. He snapped a photo of me looking, my curly red hair matching the painting. I watched him smile at his screen and set it as his lock screen.
‘That bloke would have loved you, Red,’ Liam whispered as Olivia ushered us into the next gallery.
‘Hey,’ I said, pulling Liam towards me on the steps of the gallery. ‘Thank you. I loved it. I can’t wait to go back. There was so much I didn’t see, even in two hours.’
Olivia had mentioned a huge textile collection, and I was itching for some design inspiration. If I did enrol in that interior design course, I wanted to do my dissertation on those fabrics.
‘It was worth it. To see you like that.’ Liam smiled. ‘You looked so happy.’
I grinned. ‘What’s next, tour guide?’
Liam grabbed my hand and led me across the square, which had trams running through it.
‘Well, you said you liked London for the art galleries,’ Liam mimicked, ticking a list. ‘Next, food.’
My stomach rumbled at the mention, and Liam threw me a grin. We walked past a huge dome building.
‘That’s the library, and behind it is the Town Hall. That’s where we have the lights turned on at Christmas. It’s packed, and we usually get a major A-list celebrity to turn them on.’
I raised an eyebrow. ‘Big Brothercontestant from 2005?’
Liam barked a laugh, then gave me a serious look. ‘That’s their career highlight, Red. It’s Abi’s favourite day. That and Pride in August. It takes over the whole city. It’s a lot of fun.’
‘Oh my god. Do you dress up?’
Liam shrugged. ‘Abigail might get the glitter out, yeah.’
I laughed, imagining Liam sitting at the kitchen table, Abigail covering Liam’s face in glitter.
‘I’d love to see that.’
‘Maybe you will.’
Our eyes met, and I could see the hope glimmering in his – the hope that I’d be here long enough for milestones written in Sharpie onto a shared calendar.
We passed a grand hotel called The Midland, and Liam nodded. ‘That’s where Posh and Becks had their first date.’
